The Valparaiso Beacons Fan Zone Forum

Off Topic => General Off Topic => Topic started by: wh on May 05, 2014, 01:43:44 PM

Title: Top 15 Small Cities In Indiana
Post by: wh on May 05, 2014, 01:43:44 PM
Valpo is No. 2

http://www.citiesjournal.com/top-15-small-cities-in-indiana/15/ (http://www.citiesjournal.com/top-15-small-cities-in-indiana/15/)

Title: Re: Top 15 Small Cities In Indiana
Post by: LaPorteAveApostle on May 05, 2014, 02:36:11 PM
They must not have taken FACILITIES into account!!1!

/thread

;)
Title: Re: Top 15 Small Cities In Indiana
Post by: covufan on May 05, 2014, 03:49:02 PM
Hmm, not so sure about the fact checking over at citiesjournal.com.  The number three city is listed as Rensselaer, IN.  They had the population correct, and the fact that it is the county seat of Jasper County.  However, it mentions that the French Lick Railway runs through Rensselaer, and people enjoy the Hoosier National Forest.  It also mentions the Indiana Railway Museum, which is located in French Lick, IN.  Of course, French Lick is near Jasper, IN, which is in Dubois County.  Very confusing???

----------------

Freelance writer Jessica Nunemaker started the small-town travel blog "Little Indiana" in her hometown of Rensselaer, Indiana. PBS show "The Weekly Special" caught up with Jessica in this Jasper County gem, to film the show's first "Little Indiana" segment for a statewide audience.

Nunemaker emphasized the importance of returning to small towns like Rensselaer, where small, locally owned businesses have "character" and the intimate community turns everyday errands into a social experience. She even stressed that a low cost of living allows young families to take more vacations and afford nicer homes.

During the PBS segment, Nunemaker introduced the French Lick Railway that passes through Rensselaer. Locals and tourists alike still ride the century-old train through the Hoosier National Forest, but the historic transportation route also has a charming surprise in store for passengers who ride select weekend trains. Modern-day rail workers and actors immerse unsuspecting riders in an interactive reenactment of a historic attack by horseback bandits.

Terry McKnight, a Rensselaer local in charge of the "rangers" who stage the robbery and charge the train, explained to PBS that the reenactment always ends with a dramatic faux chase and shoot-out, delighting families and educating youngsters about the small city's history.

Rensselaer preserves the state's past with help from Indiana Transportation Enhancement Grants, according to Indiana Public Media. State historians approved $2.5 million in aid, in an effort to keep Indiana's transportation history alive for future generations.

According to Alan Barnett, who manages the Indiana Railway Museum, train robberies were commonplace in the Midwest throughout the late 19th century. He suggested that the famed "Wild West" era of American history didn't play out exclusively in Western desert states; Indiana actually played a big role. The state was even the site of the infamous Reno gang's $10,000 heist in the 1860's.

--------

If Ms. Nunemaker were really from Rensselaer, would she know that the French Lick Railway, Hoosier National Forest and the Indiana Railway Museum are no where near Rensselaer?  Did they mean to have Jasper or French Lick on the list (vice Rensselaer)?

Weird